Key West The Newspaper

The first theatrical exchange to take place between America and Cuba in more than 50 years is happening this January at the Key West Theater with their production of the hit Cuban play “Eclipse.” The run of “Eclipse” at the Key West Theater is extremely unique from a historical perspective. Although cultural exchange has been permitted in the past under the American economic embargo, this particular exchange is a true bilateral collaboration between two innovative theater groups: the Key West Theater in Key West and Jazz Vilá Projects in Havana. The entire exchange is being overseen by One Race/Una Raza.

From January 24th-28th, Key West Theater will present a full production of the Cuban play “Eclipse” by renowned Cuban playwright Jazz Vilá in English with Cuban actors at the Key West Theater. Then from May 23rd-28th, One Race/Una Raza and Key West Theater will present a full production of the original play “Locura” by Key West playwright Michael Marrero in Spanish with American actors in Havana.

“Eclipse” is a modern retelling of the classic play “Miss Julie” by August Strindberg, which uses the tool of reality television to contemporize the classic work. “Locura” is a colorful island odyssey set in and around Key West in the lawless days of the early 1980s.   Key West Theater and Jazz Vilá Projects have been working together to translate the productions and both have staged readings of the plays this past fall at their respective theaters.

“For us to be invited to participate in this exchange and to be among the first ones to do something like this with Cuba is beyond anything I ever imagined for the theater at this point in our development,” says Michael Marrero, Executive Director of the Key West Theater. “We are so proud and excited to be a part of what we hope will be a much larger cultural exchange not only for Key West but for the American theatrical community at large.”

For tickets to “Eclipse,” which runs from January 24th-28th at the Key West Theater at 512 Eaton Street, visit www.thekeywesttheater.com or call (305) 985-0433. For information on attending the Cuba production of “Locura” this May, email Key West Theater Artistic Director Juliet Gray at [email protected].